Tapestry of Lives
by Vesca
Summary: How many worlds are there? Can one affect the other? Kenshin and Co. are originals, but their mirrors are the ones that need protecting.
1. Woven to Protect

Tapestry of Lives Chapter one  
  
Woven to Protect  
  
Mayuka smiled softly as she focused on the threads hanging in the air before her. So many beautiful colors, such strong threads. These lives were precious to her tapestry. She touched a fingertip to one, a strand of red silk. It hummed as the vibrations she caused ran up and down its secured length. She could sense the feelings, the want, the suffering, this thread was strong yet still needed more.  
  
With a wave of her hands the threads diminished in size, shrinking until she could see the entire tapestry spread in front of her. Mayuka pursed her lips as she contemplated the patterns. As always, she had set out with something specific in mind, but somewhere along the way she'd been forced to deviate. She touched a small matted know where so many threads had been lost. This had been one of those knots that had caused the deviations, but her starting threads were still mainly in place.  
  
"You spend too much time on this thing, you know." A deep voice came from behind her. Mayuka didn't bother to turn around as she smiled.  
  
"The tapestry deserves my attention. I avoided it, let the threads weave themselves, and I almost lost them all. They are too important to us to be lost at this time."  
  
"You never did tell me who they truly were." The voice traveled forward on cushioned feet, a dark cloak hiding its true form.  
  
"No, and I won't. They are my responsibility." Mayuka straightened from her bent position.  
  
"I would like to know the truth instead of grasping at rumors." The Weaver remained silent. "In the darkest corners I hear about the pivots of a certain warrior, the original of a certain demon." The voice changed from deep to a light whisper.  
  
"I hear names.. Kaori, Keisuke, Kiriko.... Kenshin." Mayuka jumped and turned.  
  
"Where did you hear this? I demand to know!"  
  
"Silence, Weaver," the voice hissed. "I hear the name of a demon called Battousai. They say you are protecting the demon, they say you are giving him happiness."  
  
Her eyes narrowed. "Who are you? I thought I knew, but.." Mayuka stepped to the left; the cloaked speaker was faster. The hand that grabbed her arm was grey, covered in dead flesh. "Let meguuuunnhh"  
  
The figure cackled as it watched the Weaver fall to the floor. "The touch of a demon will do that to one so pure." It kicked the fallen Weaver out of its way and stepped up to the tapestry. "You, safe haven for the demon, you will be destroyed." A sword lifted from underneath the cloak. "You will be destroyed NOW!" With a quick glint the blade rent through the shining threads severing the bottom half of the tapestry, leaving the threads hanging from above to unravel.  
  
The figure walked to the door after sneering at the fallen Weaver. "It was almost too easy, destroying your hopes for the future. Maybe next time I meet Battousai, the demon won't be as.. lively.. as the last time." The laughing figure strode out the door as silently as it had appeared.  
  
**************************************************************************** *  
  
Kenshin sat up in bed as he heard a scream resound through the dojo. "Kaoru-dono," he cried as he jumped up and grabbed his sword. He was at the door to her room, blindly opening the shoji when he noticed something different; his hand passed right through. He heard more crying form the room, continued to try to enter, but couldn't. "Kaoru-dono," he called. "Can you hear me?"  
  
"Kenshin," he heard his reply. "Kenshin, what's happening? I can't, my hands.. I..."  
  
Silence. Kenshin took a breath and tried just walking through the door, if his hand could pass through then so could he. He was greeted by the sight of Kaoru floating on her back in the air. Her long hair fell to just barely brush the ground as a strange light began circling around her. Her eyes were open, staring at him, her mouth was moving but he couldn't hear her. He tried to move forward but a push of.. nothing.. held him back. He watched, helpless as she kept trying to mouth something to him. Finally her eyes looked down then up again. He followed their path and gasped loudly as he saw a ribbon of light beginning to circle around his feet  
  
He tried to jump away, but the light followed and rose around him. He was enveloped in a whirlwind of bright white shot with red. He couldn't see Kaoru anymore, only the lights around him. He screamed a thin thread broke off and began to wrap around his arm. Another circled his torso; more began wrapping the rest of him. His vision began darkening and his head emptying of all thoughts. With a flash, he knew no more.  
  
To be continued  
  
Author's note: Well? This fic is an idea that keeps me awake during long bus rides, peaceful walks. It springs up to different songs from my walkman. Bear with me here...  
  
Oh, and the last chapter of Quiet Thunderstorms is being blushed over as you read, but I've got a plan.. ssssh..  
  
Oh.. I don't own Kenshin.... wish I did.. but I don't 


	2. Quick Fix

Tapestry of Lives Chapter two  
  
Quick Fix  
  
"Did you get them? We have to catch them all quickly before they fall through the Well."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Well? Tell me? The Weaver's dying, she needs to know now. She's the only one who knows how to fix this."  
  
"Give me a minute."  
  
"Alright, I'll wait."  
  
"..........."  
  
"What're those lights there? Why are you letting them fall away?"  
  
Kirin stopped all motion and turned to face his young supervisor. "If you keep pestering me while I'm doing this then we're going to have a bigger problem on our hands than the Weaver dying without telling us how to fix her tapestry."  
  
"Really?" Leila stared up at the broad shouldered young man with wide green eyes. "But I thought you said you could do this type of retrieval work in your sleep?" She picked at the heavy embroidery work along the bottom hem of her wimple. "I'm just so scared."  
  
The young man bit back a sharp retort and sighed hugely. "I'm saving them. I'm having no problems, but these things do take time." He turned back to the flow of light he'd been manipulating and grinned. "Here, take a look, here comes another one."  
  
A flood of multi colored threads began to float downwards. One stood out due to its complex pattern. It not only held a deep green base, but there seemed to be a pattern of silver curlicues weighing it down. The thread was falling faster than the others were, but Kirin's deft hands snagged it quickly, leading it towards a swirling point of light he had already attached several others to.  
  
"There, see? I've only got three more to look for."  
  
"Which one was that?"  
  
Kirin scowled and lightly touched the writhing thread with his fingertip. A low and vibrant hum sounded as he drew back. "Umm.. a swordsman, but there are several in this group. This one's a master, I know that."  
  
Leila sighed happily. "I'll go tell her right now. The Weaver will be happy to hear that we're getting them all."  
  
Kirin smiled and patted the little Priestess on her covered head. "Yes, your teacher will be very happy to hear that her work can be restored." He watched the white and gold clad girl bounce from the room with a happy skip. "The question is, how soon will you be up to taking the Weaver's place, little one." He sighed sadly and snagged another patterned thread. "Mmm.. this one's a.. wolf?"  
  
  
  
`(U'.') ~~~ Wolfie  
  
  
  
Two figures stood in the center of a circular room surrounded by what seemed to be pastel colored statues drenched in waterfalls of light, ten of them in all. The two beings turned to face each form separately as if taking stock.  
  
"Alrighty," a cheery voice cried out. "Let get this party started. I'll call them out and you mark them off." The second figure nodded in agreement and began.  
  
"One Hiten Mitsurugi Dragon."  
  
"Check"  
  
"One Wife of the Wolf of Mibu."  
  
"Check."  
  
"One apprentice to Kamiya Kashin."  
  
"Check."  
  
"One rooster for hire."  
  
"Check."  
  
"One genki Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu."  
  
"Check."  
  
"One needs a foot up his ass former Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu."  
  
"Ummm.. check. So you've already been told about all these people?"  
  
"Yeah, I get to be the one to welcome them and explain everything to them."  
  
"Mmm.. fun. well, continue please."  
  
"One foxy lady doctor."  
  
"Check."  
  
"One Wolf of Mibu."  
  
"Check. Damn, he looks scary."  
  
"One assistant master of Kamiya Kashin."  
  
"Check."  
  
"And last but not least, one mixed up in the head, needs a bit of self- esteem dragon with a cross-shaped scar."  
  
"Check. Is that all for this group?"  
  
"Yeah, there's another bunch, but they're gonna be a lot easier to return home than these."  
  
"They've got to have a home to return to first."  
  
"They will. With the death of the Weaver we've had to hasten the training of her apprentice, but Leila is in fine shape and taking things well. She knows much more than we had thought earlier. By the time we have all the components together she should be finished with the new tapestry and ready to reweave their threads into it."  
  
"What do we do with them until then? Are we just going to leave them asleep like this?"  
  
"I wish we could. The danger that results from introducing the originals into a mirror world is not something I want for them to experience, but unfortunately they're going to have to. There are certain things that only they can retrieve from their mirrors. Those required items will be what makes it for Leila to reweave them back in."  
  
"What do you mean? Doesn't she just put them in and everything's done?"  
  
"No, it's not that easy. Right now their threads are dead, their entire world is dead. That demon destroyed it when he destroyed the tapestry, but he was stupid. He left the anchor threads hanging; they unraveled but remained so we can rebuild. All the fallen threads that weren't anchored though were lost. Kirin is still retrieving what he can, and The Well of Souls is doing everything it can to help us, but it can't deny what it is."  
  
The shorter of the two rolled back on her heels and groaned loudly. "Have you considered using the Celestial Mirror to recover lost threads? Souls can sometimes be easier to find while on the pathways"  
  
"The pathways have begun to experience.. problems. It's going to be hard enough to move from one world to the next, much less search the pathways themselves, though that would make it much easier on us. Once the tapestry is remade and their threads rewoven, we will use the Celestial Mirror one last time to return their souls to their destinies. That's what your department is working on, right? For right now though, their souls have been separated from their destinies. That's where the problem in just sending them straight home comes in."  
  
"Returning their souls to their destinies?"  
  
"Exactly. Right now they're like us, outside of time and destiny. They can't survive very long without that anchor, that thread that tells them where to go, so we're going to send them around to the other worlds to collect some of their mirror's destinies."  
  
"That's... confusing."  
  
"Ok Ok.. Let's see if this makes it easier. There're three aspects to a person, right? Where they are, the physical, what they're thinking, the mental, and the path that they're on, their destiny."  
  
"I always thought it was body, soul, and mind?"  
  
"Alright, try it this way, but let me finish. Consider the soul to have three separate aspects. Just like a triangle which actually has four sides when you think about it. Three sides that come together to create a fourth side, the inner side otherwise known as the soul. The three edges would be mind, body, and destiny. When attached properly they form a complete person. Right now we have separated the body and the mind from the path that they need to walk, we've broken off the destiny edge of the triangle. We can't just stick them back on this path, we need something to re-anchor their souls to it. So we're going to use some of the complete souls of their mirrors to remind them. It'll be like gluing their broken triangle back together." The speaker took a deep breath. "It's a little more complicated than that, but that is the easiest way to explain it."  
  
"That was the easy way? We have to use the souls of their mirrors to glue their own triangles back together?"  
  
"Yeah, the souls of the originals are the most important. I could go on about how we're actually reweaving the destiny bar of the triangle straight back onto the tapestry itself, and how we'll be gluing them to that thread completing the triangle, and how a thread is actually a triangle, but that's Guardian stuff and might be a bit out of your league."  
  
"It's confusing, but I think I understand. So, we can reweave their destinies back into their world, but it would actually be just reweaving their needed actions into their world, but we can't place them back into their world without the help of the Celestial Mirror, otherwise known as the Worldgate after we uhhh.. after we..." The slighter figure sighed and slumped over slightly. "I understand what needs to be done, but I just can't see the process in my mind."  
  
"Well, that's enough for me, now shoo, they're beginning to wake up. I just saw that Wolfies' hand jump. It would be him to wake up first." The only slightly taller figure led the other out of the room then returned to the center. "Did you get all that, or are you still pretending to be asleep?"  
  
Saitou Hajime opened narrow eyes to glare at the female in front of him. "It's not something easily believed," he replied. He moved his foot to take a step forward causing his eyes to widen as he began to fall.  
  
"Oooh, watch that first step," she called as she ran over to him. With a quick grab of his waist she centered her weight and kept him from falling. "You're body has just been through an ordeal, it's gonna take a minute for the pathways to reinstate themselves. Let me help you down."  
  
Saitou's eyes narrowed even more as he stared impassively at the floor. "I'm not used to needing help. Who are you?"  
  
The female smiled as she helped him to the floor from the slight pedestal he'd been floating above. "I'm a priestess, Nadine, by name. Don't worry about the help, I'm sure that you're not used to having your center torn to pieces, either. Just think, since you woke up first you get to watch every one else make silly fools of themselves." She grinned at him as they moved slowly across the room. "Here, I'll lean you on the wall near your wife. By the time she wakes up you'll be in fine enough spirits to help her. Just take some deep breaths and refamiliarize yourself with your body. Do jumping jacks or something."  
  
"Jumping jacks?" Saitou whispered as he placed a hand on the wall near Tokio. His eyes traveled over her Kimono clad form. She looked to be fine, just sleeping; sleeping while floating upright above a flat pedestal that emanated a flow of upward shooting light, but still just sleeping. Her aristocratic features seemed composed, the side of her mouth was even lifted in a slight smile.  
  
After making sure his wife was alright, his eyes turned to the others in the room. Nadine was just then running to catch the weasel girl before she fell face first onto the stone floor. He heard the odd girl laughing.  
  
"Why, you're still asleep, silly. Yes, yes, your Aoshi-sama is quite fine. Lay here and you'll see him in a bit." She laid Misao flat on the floor and watched protectively as the ninja girl curled up while whispering about her Aoshi-sama. Nadine looked around the room to see that most of the other eight were beginning to wake up. "Ooooh, there are gonna be some bruised noggins in the morning," she whispered to herself as she ran to catch Hiko.  
  
To be continued  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: *sigh* this one's coming out so quickly!! I'm surprised at myself, but like I said. This story travels through my mind constantly. It'll be nice to get it out. Thanks for the three reviews I've gotten this morning after my first post. I just have one thing to say.  
  
Nemo: This should clear up some problems. A better explanation of what this fic is about.  
  
Marstanuki: always nice to see one of my favorite authors enjoying my stories.. here's your update.  
  
JML: Yeah, there's gonna be some SERIOUS mess with Kenshin in this fic, I plan to actually get pretty deep... I hope it works out. 


	3. Traveling Light

Tapestry of Lives Chapter Three  
  
Traveling Light  
  
Kenshin woke slowly to the sound of high-pitched chattering. His eyes remained closed while he tried to focus on the noises that he was hearing.  
  
"He really does look adorable when he's asleep, Kaoru. How can you stand not jumping his bones? I mean, look at him.. The boy's HOT!"  
  
Kaoru? Was she here? Was she safe? What did the voice mean by hot? He actually felt rather chilled. Kenshin tried to open his eyes but his lids remained firmly closed. He felt so heavy, so sleepy.  
  
"Oh look, his mouth moved. I bet he's waking up. Took him long enough, but I guess there are good reasons for this. I mean he is.. well, I'll get into that later. Hiko, can you come stand over near him and catch him when he falls? I just know he's gonna swoon like an old lady the minute he opens his eyes."  
  
"Why would you say that?" Another feminine voice, was that Kaoru? No, too cultured.  
  
"Well, umm... I've met others that are alot like him. Hehe.." Nadine sighed and turned back to Kaoru. "You know, that kimono thing looks hideously complicated. Are they comfortable to wear? They really do look nice."  
  
Kaoru smiled and turned concerned eyes towards Kenshin. The lights flowing around him had just recently begun to lessen, but his eyes remained firmly closed. "I'm used to it," she replied. "I've always wanted to try wearing some western style clothes, though."  
  
"Kaoru, you're gonna love the time you spend here, then." Nadine stretched her arms into the air and let out a huge yawn. "Dammit, Kenshin! Wake up already. I've got things I need to talk about." She bent her torso over in a vain effort to stretch out but only cried out in pain as her side began to ache. "And now this thing acts up." She rubbed the offending area as she looked around. Most of the nine people were just sitting quietly and waiting. Sano and Yahiko were currently investigating a rolling tray holding a tea set and many different little covered plates. She'd brought in the tea tray with its wide variety of little cakes and buns on it knowing they were all going to get hungry eventually, but she'd been ordered not to let them out of the room until they were all awake. So, here they were waiting for the main character to wake up from his induced slumber.  
  
"Nadine, may I come in?" A young voice called from the darkened doorway. Nadine grunted in approval and watched as the darkness swirled away from the center of the arched doorway to reveal a slim child dressed in a blue and green dress. Her head was covered by a wimple that matched the colors of her dress except for a bit of gold embroidery around the edges.  
  
"Preistess Tariki, welcome." Nadine stood straight and bowed her head slightly to acknowledge the young girl. The entire room watched as she swept in on silent feet, the only sound coming from her was the swishing of her floor length dress along the stones below.  
  
"It seems all but the Battousai have awoken, but that is understandable. His thread was much harder to retrieve than the others. I fear we might have overdone something in our attempt to keep him intact."  
  
Most of the listeners perked up when they heard the young girl name Kenshin as Battousai. Kaoru stood up with a scowl on her face. "His name is Kenshin. He isn't the Battousai anymore. He doesn't kill anyone. Have you brought us here because of something he did in the past? Is all this a trick just to get back at him?" Kaoru's glower became more evident as she continued to talk. Sanosuke reached out and put a hand one her shoulder.  
  
"Jo-chan, just wait a bit. They said we'd get our explanation as soon as Kenshin wakes.."  
  
"Got him," Hiko said with a grin as he caught his tumbling apprentice. Kaoru ran over to the groaning swordsman and grabbed hold of his hand not letting go even as Hiko laid him on the stone floor. Others from the nine also stepped over to make sure he was well. Megumi wound up pushing them all away.  
  
"Give him room to breathe, he needs time to wake up just like we all did. Ken-san," she spoke to him. "Can you hear us, Ken-san?"  
  
Nadine stepped away form the group and over to the young stricken faced Preistess. "Ya know, when I say let me talk to them first, I normally mean let me talk to them first."  
  
Tariki looked up at the towering Guardian and scowled. "How was I supposed to know she was going to get so defensive just due to the fact that I called him by his proper name?"  
  
"There you go again, Tariki. I keep telling you, it's my job to introduce the groups. You're jumping ahead of me and that's not gonna work. You didn't even read up on their histories, did you? Wait, I'm sorry; you don't even have access to their histories. You only know him by his mirrors. Well, strangely enough, his mirrors are not all exactly like him which means his name is different" Nadine crossed her arms in front of her. "Actually the one mirror that the Web deems so important is nearly his exact opposite.. at times."  
  
"Well, I am in charge of sending and receiving here at the central Web, so I will be needing the information regarding your departure shortly, so that I will have time to plan a proper course."  
  
Nadine's shoulders began to shake with held in laughter. With a quick pivot she was glaring at the Preistess. "They just woke up," she muttered in a deep voice. "They have no idea where they are much less why, nor have I been given ample time to help them to understand the many paths they can take to return home. You will be informed of their decision as soon as I see that they are fit enough to cross the currently rather temperamental celestial pathways. Until then please return to your post and oversee the expected arrivals." The much taller Guardian was yelling quite loudly by the time she had finished speaking.  
  
Tariki's eyes widened in amazement. "How dare you.."  
  
"I have called a variety of Priestesses and Warriors to help and guide us in our journeys. They should be arriving within the next few hours or so. Please see to guiding them to the blue room upon their entrance into the central Web." Nadine straightened and looked out the still open doorway. "That will be all, Preistess."  
  
"Guardian, I would like to tal.."  
  
"That will be all, Preistess."  
  
Tariki took a step back when she saw Nadine's eyes when they turned to stare at her again. "Of course, Guardian. I will be glad to be of service." She swished her skirts and walked quickly out the door.  
  
Nadine's eyes traveled from the doorway to the group of people gathered behind her. Ten pairs of eyes were focused on her and several mouths were open in disbelief. "What can I say," she shrugged. "That girl just pisses me off sometimes." She grinned and walked forward, eyes focusing on the red haired swordsman. "Feeling better?" Kenshin blinked and nodded. He felt the need to say something, but Sano beat him to it.  
  
"Hey, how'd you get your eyes to glow like that?"  
  
Nadine's mouth gaped as she pulled out a mirror from a hidden pocket in her pants. "Oh, gosh. I didn't think she'd gotten me that mad.." She blinked a couple times, but green sparks still managed to shoot away form the outer edges of her eyes. "Ummm.. I'll be right back." She chuckled as she turned and raced out the door.  
  
Kenshin sat up a bit straighter as he stared out into the hallway beyond the door. "Sessha," he started. "Sessha is confused."  
  
Sano and Yahiko had just begun to walk towards the still open arch in an attempt to poke their heads out when they were stopped by a teeny sounding "Harrumph!" Yahiko saw her first; another tiny girl dressed in a completely concealing outfit, the only skin showing was her face and her neck. She had just stepped into the doorway and was panting slightly while holding her dress up as if to avoid tripping over the long skirt.  
  
The little girl entered the circular room as Yahiko and Sano backed up. Once four steps in she stopped abruptly and straightened her skirt. Her eyes took a quick tour around the room pausing on each of the ten briefly. She took a deep breath and began speaking.  
  
"Good Evening," she said with a slight curtsy. "Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Preistess Coralie. I am pleased to welcome you to our humble abode here at the Central Web. Please follow me to more comfortable surroundings where we may help you to understand the recent developments and urgency of your situation." Her voice carried a lilting accent that none of them recognized, it was just a slight roll to her rr's, but it had Yahiko blushing. She smiled and held her hands together at her stomach waiting for them to react.  
  
"Well, what're you waiting fer? Get a move on, I'm hungrier than a wolf bitch with puppies, an they're not gonna feed me till they feed you." A figure moved into the room carrying a scowl. Her short black hair stopped at her chin except for a long, thin braid that fell across a tight, leather clad chest.  
  
Coralie whipped around and gasped. "Aya, watch your mouth around our guests. They have been through an ordeal."  
  
"Yeah," the petite Warrior questioned as she leaned against the entryway. "An ordeal. Well, getting picked out of the Well of Souls ain't gonna compare to the 'ordeal' of goin' up aginst ole whatsisface. Now that's gonna be an Ordeal. I can't believe I got talked inta doing this." Aya sighed loudly and put a hand to her stomach. "That mirror gate thing always makes me hungry. Come on," she waved her hand form the stricken group to the door. "Freedom lies this way, food also."  
  
Coralie sighed in exasperation and rolled her eyes. After a quick stare session between her and the dark haired Warrior, she sighed and turned back to the intently watching group and nodded. "She's right, please follow us." She turned concerned eyes to Kenshin who was still sitting on the floor. "Are you able to walk?"  
  
"Oro? Walk? Sessha is feeling quite fine, that I am." He began to stand up only to find himself wobbling. "Maybe with a little bit of help." He grinned his rurouni grin as he did his best to balance on his trembling legs. As soon as he had spoken he felt someone lift his left arm and place it over their shoulder. Looking over he was surprised to see Kaoru standing there helping to support him. "Kaoru-Dono, I don't think.."  
  
Kaoru glared at him until he was silent. "I want to make sure you're all right, Kenshin. Do you really want Hiko or Sano to do this?"  
  
He silently shook his head and smiled at her. "Thank you, Kaoru-Dono."  
  
Saitou stood up from his eternal leaning position. He nodded to Tokio who grinned a little grin at him as she also stepped forward. "I do think I'm quite ready to eat," she said quietly as she stepped beside her husband. "I would also like answers." He nodded in quiet agreement with her.  
  
Sano and Yahiko were the first ones out of the room following the slowly retreating Preistess speaking loudly of what they wanted to eat. Misao and Megumi stayed near Kenshin and Kaoru, Megumi to keep an eye on her patient and Misao to chatter to Kaoru. Hiko and Aoshi provided the tail end of the group walking in silence a bit apart from each other.  
  
They walked quietly down the hallway except for echoes of Sano and Yahiko bickering as usual and Misao being her normal cheerful self. Every once in a while she would attempt to draw Aoshi into the conversation as one sided as it was and was turned away by his silence. Kenshin found himself studying the walls of the hallway they were walking down instead of how his arm was draped over Kaoru's shoulders. "Kaoru-Dono," he asked softly. "Are you feeling alright? There doesn't seem to be anything affecting you like there is me."  
  
Kaoru smiled and concentrated on balancing his slight weight against her. "Well, I get the feeling that you're much more important to them than the rest of us, Kenshin. One of them called you Battousai just before you woke up."  
  
"Sessha is not very comfortable here in this place, that I'm not. It seems.. otherworldly. I am seeing things that my mind can't explain." Kenshin shook his head and stopped moving. "Kaoru-Dono please let me try walking on my own from here."  
  
She frowned but nodded and let go of his hand. He placed his now free arm on the wall closest to her and sighed. "My legs seem better, that they do. Sessha should be able to manage on his own. Thank you, Kaoru-Dono for your assistance." He took two faltering steps forward and promptly fell flat on his face. "Oro?"  
  
"Kenshin no BAKA!" Kaoru cried out as she knelt beside him. "You're not better yet. You shouldn't push yourself." She grabbed his hand as he lay still on the floor. "Kenshin?"  
  
"He's asleep again." Aya, who'd been sashaying down the hallway nearby, walked up to the stretched out swordsman and nudged his shoulder with her booted toe. Misao immediately pulled out her kunai. "Don't kick him," she cried out preparing to throw one when she felt a hand grabbing onto her wrist. She turned to see Aoshi shaking his head at her.  
  
Aya glanced up at the fuming weasel girl and grinned. "Sorry," she apologized. "It's a habit." She sighed and knelt next to Kaoru. "Think we should get that big one there to carry him?"  
  
Misao lowered her hand and watched the woman place a hand on the same shoulder she'd nudged, smoothing the gi down. "What kind of habit includes kicking people unexpectedly," she muttered to herself.  
  
Kaoru looked inquisitively up at Hiko who was scowling at his sleeping apprentice. "I think Kenshin would rather sleep on the floor," she whispered back to Aya who nodded sagely. "Yeah, I know the feeling."  
  
"Well, you gotta do what you gotta do, and we gotta do this." Aya stood up quickly and took a deep breath. "CORALIE," she began yelling. "Get back here and float this feller to the food."  
  
Little pattering steps were heard and soon the blue clad Preistess could be seen running towards them with her skirt pulled high to reveal stocking clad legs and soft laced slippers. She slid to a halt before running into Aya and gasped. "Oh the poor thing." She knelt down and touched a gloved hand to Kenshin's back. A twist of light appeared from between his shoulder blades and began to rise toward the ceiling taking Kenshin with it. Once he was floating upright a few inches off the ground Coralie stood from her kneeling position and sighed happily. "There you go." She turned to Kaoru to offer a hand up and had to giggle at the look on her face.  
  
"You made him float," Kaoru whispered with wide eyes. "He's.. he's.."  
  
Aya took a step and lifted Kaoru by the shoulders. "Yeah, he's floating. It's fun to play with them when they're like this. Watch." She pushed a finger into Kenshin's side caused him to drift slightly to the left. "See? Try it, he's fine, just floating." Aya took hold of Kaoru's hand and pushed it towards Kenshin's arm. As soon as it touched she grabbed hold of his wrist.  
  
"You got it down already, girlie." Aya grinned widely. "That's how you lead them around. Just pretend he's a puppy. Looking at him it won't be all that hard to imagine." She turned slightly and shot a glance over her shoulder to the ever quiet Aoshi. "I bet you get led around just like that sometimes, huh?" She grabbed Kaoru's free hand and continued her sashay towards the end of the hallway dragging the assistant master and the floating swordsman after her.  
  
Coralie sighed and shook her head sadly. "My apologies, Shinomori-san. We tried to teach her manners, but they never seem to stick." The tiny Preistess sighed again and turned to grin at Aoshi. "She's only polite when she's around someone she's attracted to, so you're safe."  
  
"Hey! I heard that."  
  
  
  
To be continued  
  
  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, another installment, please be patient. I'm almost through the background preliminaries, original character introduction and other big fic things. Mayhem will begin as soon as the Kenshin gumi and friends become comfortable with their surroundings.. which should be next chapter. Tell me if I'm boring you.  
  
to my reviewers.. all 4 of you *bows* Thnkyouthankyouthankyou  
  
I feel sad 'cause I lost a review on one of my other fics. My friend was rather loud in her protest against the NC17 decision and had her name erased.. everything, even her signed reviews. *sigh* I miss her. 


	4. Explanations Anonymous

Tapestry of Lives Chapter Four  
  
Explanations Anonymous  
  
Aya began humming as she pulled Kaoru along behind her. The small Warrior was in a good mood which was altogether strange for her but understandable under the circumstances. Not only had she been given the simple job of escorting this namby pamby group around to a couple of worlds, she was going to start it out with a good meal. *sigh* Being a Warrior and getting good meals did NOT go hand in hand. Normally it was just eat what you can when you can, and hope it wasn't spoiled. Why, right now she could smell lingering wafts of lemon, ginger, and fish. !?FISH?!  
  
The Warrior stopped in her tracks and whirled to face Coralie who started up at her with wide eyes. "I smell fish."  
  
Coralie nodded and took a step forward. "Nadine read up on it and found that their society eats fish quite regularly so she decided to offer them something more common to help soothe their wandering minds." The Priestess touched a fingertip to her nose. "I think there's a whitefish and a red fish and something that didn't really look like a fish, but it was definitely water based, but I'm sure they're all good." Aya's hopeful expression feel into the darkest depression as Coralie recited her list.  
  
"Well, come along," the little Priestess chirped as she began walking again. "Kaoru, do you think you can manage leading him on your own?"  
  
The little group walked past Aya as she stood with a sickened expression on her face. "Fish," she muttered. "Why is it always fish?" Why can't they just cook a good chicken, or maybe a fruit pie, but no... it's gotta be fish."  
  
"She's a Warrior," Coralie began to explain to Kaoru's quick question. "They have food issues. Some Warriors can't eat meat, some can't eat vegetables. There's a famous story of a Warrior who had to survive on bread and water because his stomach just became for too delicate for anything more flavorful." She shrugged and continued. "Aya's big food problem is fish; she can't eat any at all. There's something about fish oils that just sends her stomach into a frenzy. She was probably looking forward to a good meal, too. Maybe Nadine had them cook something else up for her."  
  
Hiko grunted. "What kind of warrior has a weak stomach?"  
  
"Well, you have to understand how our Warriors work before you understand about their weak stomachs, Hiko."  
  
The entire group stopped walking and looked forward to see Nadine waving at them beside an open door.  
  
"Hiyas!" Nadine grinned and pointed through an open door to her left. "Right this way, sustenance for both the body and the mind, umm... why is Kenshin floating?"  
  
"He fainted," Hiko explained quickly before Coralie could start.  
  
Kaoru bristled and turned to Hiko. "He did not 'faint'."  
  
"Oh," Hiko took a step forward and peered into Kenshin's passive face. "What else can you call it when your Baka-Deshi falls to the floor asleep?" Hiko poked his shoulder.  
  
"He's not feeling well," Kaoru cried out. "He's just taking a little bit longer to recover than we did."  
  
Hiko lifted an eyebrow at Kaoru. "Baka-Deshi fain..." Before Hiko could finish he was interrupted by a tortured scream.  
  
Aya steamed past the two arguing companions and ran right into Nadine which seemed to be what she meant to do since she grabbed onto the Guardian's loose top and slammed her into the nearby wall. "You did this on purpose, didn't you?" She began screaming. The rest of the one-sided conversation was yelled at Nadine in a harsh, guttural language which seemed more composed of grunts and spitting than any other real sounds.  
  
"Oh dear," Coralie grabbed Kaoru's hand. "We should really step in; they're going to be at it for a while." She led the staring group into the room quickly trying not to listen to Aya's rant. The Priestess nodded her head to the four that were already seated in the room. "I'll just go tell the servers that we're ready."  
  
The unsettled group looked around surprised at the sudden change of decor. They had just been walking down a curving hallway of what seemed to be smoothed over stone with no visible light source. Now they stood in the entryway to a large room that looked to be straight out of the Kamiya dojo. The tatami on the floor were a bit newer looking and the walls were devoid of any of the wall hangings, but it was nearly exactly like the room that opened out onto the garden, except larger. Kaoru immediately let go of Kenshin's hand o walk over to one of the shoji doors. After several tries she sighed and realized it wasn't going to open.  
  
"I guess we should find a place to sit." She thanked Misao as she handed her a cushion form a nearby stack and fluffed it slightly before placing it on the floor. With a sigh she knelt down and looked around. Saitou and Toki were seated at the far end of the room with Megumi nearby having a quiet conversation with Tokio. Sano and Yahiko were looking miserable seated as close as they were to Saitou. Misao had placed her and Aoshi's cushions almost directly across form Kaoru leaving the entire area to her right open for Hiko to sit down. As she looked to her right she saw only Kenshin's slightly moving Hakama.  
  
Kaoru almost jumped in surprise. "I almost forgot!" Misao looked at her inquiringly. "Kenshin, He's floating. How do we get him down?" Weasel Girl looked at Kenshin and began giggling.  
  
"That is a question, Kaoru," Nadine said as she stepped away from her place hugging the wall and between the two girls to face Kenshin. "Hmmm... Dammit, he's asleep again. Aya..?"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Sheesh, you don't have to be so sharp, I said I was sorry."  
  
The Warrior continued to glare at Nadine who finally shrugged. "Coralie will fix him; she can wake a dead man." Nadine looked around and saw that everyone, with the exception of the floating Kenshin was comfortably seated and watching her expectantly.  
  
"Well, like I promised, an explanation." Nadine grabbed a cushion and seated herself between Saitou and Sano. "I'm thinking you don't want to wait until Kensh... Coralie! There you are, will you please wake up sleepy- head over there. He's gonna need to hear this."  
  
The Priestess nodded her head and walked over to Kenshin. "Umm... He might fall over, so...." Hiko got up and stood nearby while Kaoru scooted out of the way. Coralie lifted her hands, palms upwards until they were at her shoulders. She kept her eyes trained on Kenshin's face as the soft aura around him began to deepen. Slowly he opened unseeing eyes and began to whisper along with the soft words Coralie was singing. As slowly as she had raised them, Coralie lowered her hands and watched his eyes close. She turned to Nadine with a worried expression. "He's fallen deep. I need to use a higher power than what is allowed here."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I think, I think his mind slipped its thread. I think he's gone off wandering." Coralie touched a limp hand. "He responded, but I don't think he was talking to me. I could feel him, but..." She shook her head slightly. "I'll lower him to the cushion, but he'll need to remain resting until I can take a further look."  
  
"Is he in any danger?"  
  
Coralie shook her head as she lowered Kenshin to the floor with a wave of her hand. "Oh, no. Actually I think I know exactly were he is. I'm pretty sure I know who he was talking to." Coralie grinned at Kaoru. "Don't worry. He's perfectly fine. We can't lose him now that we have him." She turned to Nadine and curtsied. "I'll be going to the Well of Souls quickly. Please excuse my absence."  
  
Nadine nodded. "Call me if you need me,"  
  
Aya's eyes followed the bouncing Priestess out of the room. "Now why in the world would she need to go see the Well?"  
  
  
  
~: ~~~~ chicken head (tiny)  
  
  
  
Kenshin felt the darkness closing in even as he watched the floor reach up to grab him. Without a doubt he was going to hurt when he woke up, but then he was still awake, wasn't he? He couldn't feel anything around him and his eyes were refused to open just like before, but he could still hear, and his ki sense told him something or someone out there was very powerful and very close by. He shook his head surprised as he felt his bangs brush against his cheeks. He could move, but he couldn't open his eyes.  
  
A soft laugh sounded form his right causing him to turn his head. "You should have seen your face just then," a gentle voice explained. "You looked to be readying for quite a fine pout."  
  
"Oro?" He could talk!  
  
"Yes, speech is still an ability here in the Well, any type of speech."  
  
"Is Sessha able to open his eyes?"  
  
Again the laughter tickled his ears. "Only if you wish sir, but there's not much to see. I fear my home is dreadfully boring. Even I find it so, sometimes."  
  
Kenshin felt his eyelids protest but raised them anyway. "Your home is dark, that it is. Are there no lights here?"  
  
"Wrong eyes silly, but I forget."  
  
"Oro? Forget?"  
  
"You're not like me, but I'll make it easier for you. Watch carefully now."  
  
Kenshin's eyes widened as strands of milky white began writhing in front of him, thickening into a lithe shape. From the darkness around him erupted a multitude of many colored ribbons that encircled the form until not an inch of the wispy white light was seen. The darkness around him lessened until he could make out shapes, a low table, two cushions placed on the floor. The ribbon covered figure in front of him lifted a multi-colored arm and opened its fingers wide. The ribbons began disintegrating in quick sparks revealing normal colored flesh. The low flying sparks died quickly but traveled fast as first an arm emerged, then a shoulder, then a neck and... Oro! Kenshin gulped and shut his eyes fast; too many bokken influenced headaches had sharpened his life preservation instincts around females.  
  
"Truly? How funny, she's seems very lively." He felt soft hands framing his face. "It's safe, I'm clothed."  
  
Kenshin opened his eyes quickly and stared at the smiling female in front of him. "How did you know what I was thinking? Sessha said nothing, but you spoke as if he had, that you did?" He squinted slight and peered up and down. "Ano, why do you look so much like Sessha, even your hair is red!"  
  
"Not seen many to match your hair, have you? Well," the female twirled prettily in the gi and hakama that had appeared on her. "I actually find this rather comfortable." She grinned and motioned towards the table where two steaming cups of tea had appeared.  
  
Kenshin found himself able to move easily from the darkness onto the small tatami floored room. He eased himself onto a cushion and studied his companion again. Upon a second look she had a strong resemblance to him but there were major differences. Her hair was darker for one, a deeper shade of red with the top half tied in two tails that hung down and blended with the freely hanging bottom half. Her clothes were almost an exact match in color but looked newer, a brighter white, a deeper pink.  
  
His eyes returned to hers and found mischievous orbs as violet as his own watching him silently. "Ano, Sessha was wondering, where exactly am I?"  
  
The violet eyes crinkled as the girl grinned wide. "You are in my home, here where I live, which isn't anywhere easily described to you so just leave it be."  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin was surprised at the hostile words said with such a cheerful voice. Were she and Soujiro from the same family?  
  
"But don't you worry a bit about it, Kenshin. Someone should be here soon enough to save you. You're really not supposed to be here." She took a sip of tea then returned to talking. "What I will do for you though is to give you a short explanation of the way things are right now that I would like you to keep to yourself."  
  
Kenshin nodded. She seemed so serious now.  
  
"There are many worlds out there, Kenshin, yours is the original that everything is based on. When someone messes with your world, they mess with them all. Obviously someone has messed with your world, but there's more to it than that. This is the part that is for your ears alone. "She twisted her tea cup in a circle while staring down into its murky depths. "There were problems with the worlds before this ever happened, little things that only people like I were able to notice. Things were happening before their time, people were dying that shouldn't." She looked up at him with narrowed eyes. "They were sent to their deaths by a demon we know as Battousai."  
  
Kenshin's eyes widened. "But Sessha..."  
  
"It's one of your mirrors, but there's still more. He's being controlled. Someone is ordering him to destroy certain things, certain people and even certain worlds. They are slowly changing the shape of the worlds to something that scares me, and Battousai is their puppet."  
  
"The one who destroyed your world did it because of anger at Battousai for destroying his. That one has since been punished but when I spoke to him he gave me great insight as to the problem." She sighed and took another sip of tea. "It seems that even there in the Central Web evil still lurks in the hearts of those chosen to protect the worlds. Not all who are there to help are there to help the worlds it seems, but themselves alone."  
  
"You will soon commence your travels, from world to world finding the pieces of your destiny that will bring you back to your own. You will not only be up against the evils that have suddenly erupted in these worlds, but also the evils that will be sent out against you to make sure you fail. Right now the ringleader had his puppet where he wants him and the original is no longer needed. You have a great power over your mirrors, Kenshin. All of you do. Remember that when the time comes, for surely you will need that strength."  
  
The redheaded girl smiled and took a deep breath. Now it's time for you to go, I can hear someone coming to collect you."  
  
Kenshin frowned; he couldn't hear a thing, only his own breathing. He couldn't even hear her breathing. His eyes widened as he tried to sense her energy, not a drop of ki came from her direction. He watched as she stood up and faced away form him. Slowly one of the shoji doors surrounding the room slid open to reveal a black haired man.  
  
"Keeper," the female nodded her head at the man. "I assume you're here for our little lost one."  
  
The man stretched his neck slightly to get a better view of Kenshin sitting on the floor behind her. "Umm. yes. Coralie is here to collect him. She says his body is beginning to die without the soul and was wondering if she could have it back. He really wasn't supposed to have come here." The man stepped to the side so that Kenshin could see him fully and bowed towards the swordsman. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Himura. If you would please follow me."  
  
"In just a moment, please give us some time. We just sat down." Kenshin gulped at the lie but remained quiet. The man nodded and stepped out of the room.  
  
"I will return for him shortly."  
  
She kept her back to him as she spoke. "I was once called Keiko, Himura- San. Please think of me fondly. For we will not see each other for a long while, this I promise." She sighed and sat down at the table again. "You should leave now. The Keeper will come back. He is one of those whose heart has been turned. I don't like him very much. The last Keeper was ever so much nicer." She looked up as he remained sitting. "Well?"  
  
"Sessha is still confused."  
  
She smiled sadly at him then reached her hand across the table to lay it on front of him. "Sessha will remain so for some time," she told him softly. "But the fog will clear and you will have your answers. I will tell you this. One of those who has been called to help you is not what she seems, the other exactly as she is, the third a dark soul who has been touched by Battousai recently. I do not know which, but I know it's one of those three. Be careful where you tread, Himura-San the snake bites here are deadly." With that said she pulled back and watched him until he stood up.  
  
"Sessha enjoyed sharing teas with you Keiko-Dono, that I did. I will take your words to heart and hold them close." He saw her bob her head slightly as she faced the floor. "Thank you for the conversation." He walked up to the shoji he had seen open earlier and found it very easy to slide. Just beyond it he saw a torch lit room made of grey stone. He looked behind to see the difference and nearly fell at the change. It was not a small tatami covered room anymore but a deep well that dropped off just behind him.  
  
"Orooororor."  
  
"Noooo... don't fall back in." Tiny hands grasped his arm and pulled with a surprising amount of strength. Kenshin looked down to see the blue cloth covered head of Coralie as she grabbed him around the waist. She looked up at him and grinned. Do you think you can stand?"  
  
"Hai," he whispered out still shaken from the depths he had seen behind him. "Where did that hold come from?"  
  
Coralie stepped back. "That's the Well of Souls. It holds those who are waiting to return or those who just don't feel like living again." She looked him up and down then sighed. "Speaking of souls, we will need to travel back to your body rather quickly, follow me."  
  
Kenshin took a step then looked down at the unfamiliar feeling of air underneath his foot. "Oro?"  
  
"You're just a soul right now, Kenshin-San. Hurry now, your body is waiting."  
  
  
  
Author's Note: well, I'm trying to just spring along here, but my pogo stick stopped working.. this fic just doesn't want to move fast it seems.. but I'll get to the action as soon as I can. Love you all! 


	5. My LIfe Before Yours

Tapestry of Lives - Chapter 5  
  
My Life Before Yours  
  
  
  
Coralie rushed through the hallways of the Central Web with Kenshin in tow as quickly as she could without lifting her skirts to her waist. "Did you learn anything, Kenshin," she asked nicely as she raced around a corner.  
  
Kenshin kept silent as he stared at her small hand holding onto his increasingly see-through wrist. He'd been known to run pretty fast every once in a while, but never had he flown at such speeds while floating in the air behind a tiny girl. This was quite the new experience for him. He heard her repeat her question and sighed. "Sessha was introduced to Keiko- Dono. She's a very nice woman, that she is."  
  
"You met Keiko?" Coralie took another swift turn to cut through the bedroom area. She hissed as her attempts to avoid running into sleepy Preistesses were nearly ruined by two of the older Preistesses in robes chatting in the center of the hallway. "Get Out Of My Way," she cried out as they turned with unbelieving faces. The Coralie they knew was usually so composed, not running through the halls like a madwoman with a spirit in tow.  
  
"You're right, Kenshin. Keiko is very sweet. I'm actually surprised you met her though. She doesn't normally show herself to the occupants of the Well."  
  
Kenshin gulped as they began running through a kitchen area full of people with knives which Coralie seemed to barely avoid as she dashed through teh maze of countertops. "Coralie-Dono, you should slow down, that you should. That tall man is now running after you with a rather large kitchen knife."  
  
Coralie turned around and grinned at him the best she could around the sugared bun she had in her mouth. " Nah Hawhen," she grunted at him and jumped into a doorway.  
  
"Oro?"  
  
^.^  
  
Aya's eyes were closed when she first felt Coralie's tug at her mind. What's up?  
  
Bring Kenshin's body out, Aya. The reentry might upset them.  
  
You got him back?  
  
Yeah, he's floating along behind me making this really funny sound whenever I almost slam him into a wall.  
  
Understood. Front door or back?  
  
I'm coming up on the front door right now, I can't go through the back.  
  
Aya ignored the stares and Nadine's sharp bark as she walked over to Kenshin's prone body and slung it over her shoulder. Why? Did you get the kitchen staff mad at you again?  
  
Well, when I was in there earlier telling them we were ready for the food I saw that Gesh was making those sweet buns that he's so good at so I had to grab one.  
  
Right out form under his nose, eh? Good one kiddo, I taught you well Aya walked out of the room and turned to the left in full view of the rooms occupants. You know, I don't think I can feel him breathing anymore.  
  
That's why I'm running. Walk a bit away from the doorway will you? I don't want them scared out of their minds. Forcing a soul back into its body is not a pretty thing.  
  
Aya shrugged and took a few steps. She shifted the red haired body around till she was holding it in her arms. Gosh, he's tiny. She blinked at the sense of anger that came through her and Coralie's link. What? Are you mad I called him tiny.  
  
Hmm? No, of course not, is that you there?  
  
Yeah, I see you. Get ready for the toss.  
  
Really, Aya he's not a football.  
  
Hut Hut Hut!  
  
You spend altogether too much time in that world, you know.  
  
Aya laughed aloud as Coralie spun to a stop in front of her presenting the floating diaphanous soul to her. With a quick grab she had the dimming glow wrapped around her hand. Coralie turned around just in time to see dark patterns emerge from underneath Aya's skin as she held the body close with her now glowing hands.  
  
"Seal it, Quickly" Aya whispered to Coralie.  
  
With a nod, the blue clad Preistess raised her hands and began chanting softly. The dull aura that had been Kenshin shaped as it flew behind her was now just a fuzzy glow around his quickly dying body. Even though she had her eyes closed she could still see the seal forming in her mind. It's intricate pattern of knots and layers torn seemed torn apart and haphazardly tied together. With a precision born of experience gained under extreme pressure she began reshaping the patterns of the seal. "Aya, you'll have to support him for a moment. This will take longer than I originally thought."  
  
Aya tried to nod but her neck muscles were too tense to allow her head to move. Sweat began beading on her forehead as she watched Coralie at work. "I can't hold his soul for too much longer, Coralie. Hurry up." She could see the seal floating in front of Coralie, could see the many broken patterns and messily tied knots. As she watched them reform under her friend's ministrations Aya coulsn't help but wonder why such as sloppy job had been done. Realization caused her eyes to open wide and her mind to forget the pain she was going through. "Coralie," she whispered as she watched Kenshin's eyes flutter open to look blindly into hers. "They didn't want him to survive, did they?"  
  
Coralie lowered her hands to Kenshin's chest and slid the seal into his torso. She sighed as the woven light disappeared into his graying skin and took a step back. "We need to speak of this later, Aya. It seems they are moving much faster than we thought they would."  
  
Aya nodded and watched as Kenshin's chest lifted as he filled his lungs with air. She chuckled as he coughed. "Breathe shallow for a bit, Himura," she told him. "Your lungs have been still for some time."  
  
"Place him against the wall," Coralie ordered her. Aya suddenly realized she was holding the waking man in her arms as if he were a child, albeit a very large child but still... She leaned against the wall herself and sighed in pleasure as she allowed ehrself to slide down the cool stone until she was sitting sprawl legged in the floor with Kenshin still held close to her. "He's so different from Battousai, isn't he?" She grinned as his head fell onto her shoulder. "Like a little kid."  
  
Coralie smiled. "Are you gonna let him go?"  
  
Aya smiled up at the Preistess. "No, I don't think so. Not just yet. His body is too cold. I'll let him warm up a bit longer."  
  
Coralie shrugged and kneeled on the floor next to the two reclining warriors. "We need him alive," she whispered. "We cannot afford to have him die at this time."  
  
Aya leaned her ehad back against the wall and sighed. "He'll be mine to protect, Preistess," she announced in a formal tone of voice. "His life will be before mine, him and all of his companions. I swear by the embroidery on my sash, none of them will die under my care."  
  
With a small smile Coralie nodded and placed a hand on Kenshin's exposed right cheek. A soft glow emanted from her hand and faded into his cheek. "That should help him when he wakes up. Why don't we just stay here for now. Nadine should be finishing up with his friends pretty soon here."  
  
Aya nodded and closed her eyes.  
  
doobie doobie doo  
  
Kaorus' concern showed clearly on her face as Nadine ushered her out the doorway. The dinner they had been provided with had been fabulous, the explanations slightly unbelievable but very cut and dry. Where most everybody else's mind was mulling over the story they'd just been told though, hers was reeling over the fact that the short female hadn't returned with Kenshin yet. As she took a few steps out she turned and gasped loudly.  
  
The short female, Aya was her name, wasn't it, was up against the wall with Kenshin in her lap. Immediately roiling thoughts of death and destruction began boiling over until she really looked at Aya's arms. They were cradled aorund him protectively not lovingly. Her face in its sleeping repose reflected more of a scowl than the blissful expression that Kaoru knew she would have if Kenshin had ever fallen asleep with her like that.  
  
"Oi! Busu," Yahiko cried form behind her. "You're holding us up here." He was immediately shushed by her hand slapping over his mouth.  
  
"Shhhhhh.." She pointed and then frowned at the muffled squawk he tried to emit once he realized what he was looking at.  
  
Kaoru lifted her hand and took a step toward the two but stopped when she saw the little Presitess snuggled up to Aya's left shoulder. She tunred around to look atthe crowd behind her. "Shhhhhh.." she commanded again. "They're sleeping. Helping Kenshin must have tired them out." Hiko's disbelieving scowl and neck craning caused a slight tic in her forehead. "I SAID..."  
  
Kenshin's eyes opened to fuzzy light and double vision but his ears seemed to be perfectly sound as he heard Kaoru begin screaming at his Shishou. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of his Kaoru running after Shishou with her bokken. If ever a man needed a good hit to teh head it was Hiko Seijuro. He sighed and snuggled deeper into the warmth that seemed to wrap around him. Maybe this morning he'd put up with Kaoru's cooking just so he could have a lazy morning in bed. He didn't do that too often, actually never.  
  
His brow furrowed as he heard Sano's deep voice try to quiet Kaoru down uselessly. It was strange that the streetfighter would be at the dojo this early in the morning unless something was wrong, or he was really hungry. Kenshin yawned and forced his eyes to focus on the bright blur in front of him. He was sleepily wondering when he had changed his blanket to a blue color when a caustic comment in a clearly recognizable voice opened his mind wide.  
  
"Oro?"  
  
He wasn't in bed, he was being held by Aya-Dono, the Warrior that Coralie- Dono had been speaking to! And Kaoru-Dono really was about to chase after his Shishou with her bokken, at least she sounded like it. In a useless attempt to pull out of Aya's arms Kenshin found himself flat on his back with the Warrior sprawled over him. His eyes were violet spirals as she began snoring into his stomach.  
  
Coralie yawned and rubbed her eyes as the riot around her quieted down quickly. The sudden absence of Aya's shoulder had jerked her away from a wonderful dream of waterfalls and little oarnge fish. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and almost fell over at what she realized she was staring at. Aya was now using Kenshin's stomach as a pillow and his companions were all wide mouthed in disbelief, well some of them were.  
  
The Preistess giggled as Kenshin lifted his head and looked over to her. "Coralie-Dono," he whimpered. "Help?"  
  
She nodded while still giggling and stood up on sleepy legs. Two steps brought her to Aya's shoulder which she shook several times. "Aya, I'm sure your feather pillows would be much more comfortable thna Kenshin's stomach."  
  
The Warrior mumbled and flipped over onto her back. "Don't care.. am sleepy.. stupid souls.. am hungry too.."  
  
To Be Continued.......  
  
Author's Notes: OK OK.. I know it's kind of a dull ending, but I just couldn't go on......... It's already a long chapter and the next scene will be even longer so just bear with me please.  
  
A BIG THANKYOU to all my reviewers!!  
  
JML: I was referring to the three Original characters Aya, Coralie and Nadine, though there might be some prophetical phrases spewed out regarding the Gumi-Girls at a later point.  
  
Diablo: I'm trying to cut down on teh confusing part.. Hopefull I'll be able to explain it thoroughly without just breakig down and crying in frustration.  
  
Nemo: O.O.. Good of you to catch that... but Shhh.. she's a secret.  
  
Marstanuki: hopefull I fulfilled the good part that you were expecting.. tell me if I didn't 


	6. Memories of Words Her Version

Tapestry of Lives Chapter 6  
  
Memories of Words - Her Version  
  
  
  
Kaoru's eyes were closed but her mind continued to mull over the images that she'd seen that day. First and foremost, the one that kept coming back was the image of Kenshin on the floor mumbling in a language she didn't understand. Soon after that Aya had picked him up as if he was a doll and carried him out, but the fear she'd felt when he began speaking kept eating at her.  
  
Her thoughts turned to the explanation they'd been given after eating. Nadine had explained how there were many worlds that mirrored their own except with slight differences. She had explained how they would need to visit these worlds and actually meet mirrors of themselves to be able to return to their own. Kaoru hadn't understood all of that part, but she had asked Aya later while they were in the baths.  
  
Aya had given her an incredulous look and asked her if she was sure she wanted to know the whole story. When Kaoru had nodded the Warrior had begun a quick spoken explanation that had the shihandai's head reeling.  
  
"There's a dreamer, you would refer to him as a 'god'. He dreamed up your world, you people, your lives. Then other dreamers, other 'gods' decided they liked what he'd done and dreamed up their own worlds in his world's likeness. They have similarities and differences, but all these worlds are based on his original world, his original dream. A short time ago his world, the original world was destroyed in an attempt to make sure that no more worlds were created to mirror his. Someone has found a mirror of your Battousai that they like and they are slowly making sure that no other Battousais that might be able to defeat him are going to be dreamed up. They have been sending this 'perfect' Battousai around destroying the worlds that already have people in them that can change or destroy him. They're attempting to control what worlds are being made and what worlds are staying. In effect, they're attempting to control the most powerful force among the worlds."  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"They're attempting to control the dreamers themselves. If they have no access to certain worlds where certain things happen then the dreamers themselves will not bring those types of worlds into being. And if one does happen to pop up then they'll have their Battousai run and destroy it, him being an afterthought from a world that has now been destroyed since it doesn't fit their image of what types of worlds should be allowed."  
  
Kaoru had later asked Coralie who had explained it as censorship then apologized that Kaoru might not understand that word, but it was the best way to explain what was truly going on.  
  
As she lay there in the futon that had been provided for her she sighed and rolled onto her stomach. Too many questions kept running through her mind to allow her to sleep. She wanted to know how they knew everything they did. She wanted to understand all the words they said when they were talking to each other. Kaoru felt as if there was a vast lack of everything when comparing herself to Aya or Coralie, and she wanted that lack filled. After many minutes of tossing and turning, she finally felt her eyes become heavy and was able to slip off into a restless sleep.  
  
`(U'.')  
  
Megumi had enjoyed the bathing room immensely. She had met some ladies who also knew about herbs and medicines and, even though most of the plants they knew about went by different names she and the two other women were able to talk effectively. She had adored the large onsen that they had been shown to with its colorful steam creating rainbows just above the water. A young girl had jumped behind her with a comb and begun untangling her hair before she could protest so she had just shrugged as she watched the same happen to her two new friends. As their hair was brushed the other two began gossiping while Megumi just listened and nodded. She had been able to pick up several bits of information.  
  
They were very surprised to see Warrior Aya here at the baths when she normally hid her scarred self from sight.  
  
Priestess Coralie was very uppity to have taken the name of the famous Priestess from long ago who had been the only survivor of a great sealing.  
  
Two of the vanished worlds had been the only known source of the best herb for soul healing which could aid the reattachment of a separated soul back into its original body.  
  
A red haired Warrior had been seen stalking the halls lately scaring many of the younger Priestesses back into bed from their midnight snack excursions as they passed near the Celestial Mirror on their 'secret' way to the kitchens.  
  
Someone had seen Priestess Tariki skulking around the Celestial Mirror the other night just before the latest world had disappeared.  
  
Tariki was the only Priestess with the power to navigate the Celestial Pathways.  
  
Megumi grimaced as she heard Kaoru twisting on the futon beside hers. Her tired mind kept trying to connect the gossip she'd heard with the hard facts that Nadine had given them earlier.  
  
They would use the Celestial Mirror to pass from world to world as they worked to achieve their goal of reconnecting their bodies and souls with their proper destinies.  
  
They needed to move quickly since many of the worlds that they needed had been targeted by mysterious monsters lately.  
  
Aya, Coralie, and Nadine would take one or two of them at a time to a world leaving the rest safely behind here at the Central Web. This would keep more of them safe since Aya would only need to worry about protecting one or two of them instead of ten since they would all be very vulnerable.  
  
She, Megumi would be the first one taken to a nice little world where one of her mirrors liked to grown flowers.  
  
Sano would be the next.  
  
Megumi wrapped her blanket tighter around herself as she began to shiver.  
  
m(*.*)m  
  
Misao had squealed over the steaming onsen. She had squealed over the array of scents in the soaps provided. She had squealed at the cute designs on her sleeping yukata. She had finally stopped squealing when Tokio had caught her eye and smiled softly at her as if Misao had been a child. The onmitsu had immediately straightened her shoulders and calmly replaited her hair. The sudden quiet in the room was so obvious that she had actually felt a little bad about how much enjoyment she was finding when everyone else was worried sick. She had quietly covered herself up to her chin with her blanket and stared at the dim shapes on the ceiling as she unsuccessfully wished herself into sleep.  
  
She had thought she was asleep at one point but her eyes had opened wide as she heard the shoji door to their room open and quiet footsteps enter. A quick glance over had revealed the short silhouette of the little Priestess named Coralie. Misao kept silent as she watched the dark form kneel beside Megumi's futon. She kept silent as a soft light began emanating form the doctor's prone form. She kept silent as a strand of light lifted from her glowing torso and spread out to reveal an intricately woven pattern of lights surrounded by a softly pulsing circle.  
  
Misao's sea-green eyes widened as she watched Coralie's now illuminated hands smooth over the obviously rough and badly knotted strands of light. Wherever her small hands had passed over the strands began to look smoother, fuller. The varying levels of light within the circle began to even out until the entire pattern gave off its red glow evenly.  
  
With a soft sigh Coralie's features lost their intense concentration and fell into an exhausted, pained look. Her hands and the glowing pattern lowered at the same time, her hands into her lap, the pattern back into Megumi. In the now semi-darkness Misao did not see Coralie's eyes open to peer straight at her.  
  
She didn't see Coralie looking at her, but she did feel two fingers suddenly laid against her forehead. "Sleep, little ninja," she heard just before her mind shut down for the night.  
  
----('.')-  
  
Tokio Saitou lay with her eyes closed listening to the breathing around her. Deep even breaths told her that the four females around her were already asleep. The little girl had led them all to a large room and pointed out the futon and blankets available for their use. The fighter had first led the ladies to a large bath then brought them back to take the men. Tokio's eyes had sought out her husband immediately. She could read him so easily now and it scared her slightly. For the first time she had seen a shred of doubt in his eyes, just a tiny glimmer of worry. She knew she could take care of herself easily in extreme situations, but she wasn't truly prepared for a situation that her husband might be worried about.  
  
Her eyes opened and turned to her left attempting to stare through the thin curtain that separated the men from the ladies. She had placed her futon as close to the barrier as she could knowing that Hajime had done the same. It was almost like being together. Her hands longed to reach out and soothe the furrow in his brow, to find out what he and the other men had spoken of that had caused such an uncommon mark on him. Tokio was used to being told everything about his life, he knew he couldn't dare hide it; but now she was forced to wait while he kept his, dare she call them fears to himself. Her husband was a strong man, a good man who had come to realize that his wife only made him stronger.  
  
Just before she gave in to her mind's need for sleep she was able to hear him, just a slight breathing but close enough to her that she knew it was him. The smile she was then given remained with her through her dreams that night and into the morning.  
  
To be Continued  
  
Author's notes:  
  
Wow, it's been a while, ne? I always seem to get into a mood to write just before an annoying insurance time. Yes, the end of the year is coming and everyone is rushing to my office to use their insurance benefits before they lose them. and yours truly gets to call all those sons of mother b****es who dare to call themselves customer service reps while they work at an outlet for Satan. I hate insurance. Weird thing though.. I'm about to tale coding classes so I can learn how to claim for MORE insurances. I'm paying to make my own life a greater hell than it already is. Someone is going to have to pay for that.  
  
I hope ya'll like this bit of insight/story movement. I'm trying to instead of go step by step over what happens to jump around a bit and give a more POV from the characters shoes. I noticed that in my writing I tend to focus more on my OC than the K-gumi. My deepest apologies. Aya and Coralie are characters close to my heart since I have them in other things I've written but that you haven't read. I'm trying actually EDIT my stories before I post them to give you a more enjoyable RK experience because I really don't want to post this under Original Fiction.. no one will read it.  
  
On to Reviewer Notes:  
  
Kurara: I'm working on the confusing.. Really I am. Hopefully this chapter will give you a better idea of what this story is really ABOUT. But I must say the confusion over the resolution of the conflict might just get even more confusing. but please hang on.. I'll do my best for you!  
  
Fitz: Hehe.. oh yeah, I have plans for Keiko. Something about the best hiding place is in plain sight. She really is a fun character to write, but unfortunately her fun won't be for another couple of chapters.. which I will work on as quickly as possible.  
  
Nemo: Here ya go! Development! Storyline! And yes.. soon Hiko WILL run if Kaoru chases after him with a bokken.  
  
Lebluepheonix: This chapter is written nearly expressedly for you.. and also 'cause I realized I couldn't ignore everyone else.  
  
Marstanuki: the set up for what happens next.. please look forward to it.  
  
JML: Kenshin is the central character here, but I'm gonna let him sit on the backburner for a chapter or two. Please look forward to some Sano and Megumi POV in the next chapters.  
  
  
  
Wow.. here at the bottom is something interesting.. hanging on to the last line is this disclaimer. It wants to tell you that I don't own Kenshin. DUH 


	7. Later that Same Night

Tapestry of Lives Chapter 7  
  
Later that same night.  
  
Aya met up with Coralie as soon as she was sure the entire group was asleep. Her soft steps took her past the dormitory rooms that had been assigned to her and the Priestess and into a thin passageway lined with shelves. Occasionally she passed a discarded scroll, book, even a thin dagger that had been left and forgotten on the way to a secret meeting, the only type of meetings that were ever held in the room the hallway led to.  
  
She passed through the first of many shields with a shrug of her shoulders. If the powers that protected the Weaver's room didn't recognize her by now they never would. Up ahead were softly glowing spheres of light suspended in the air above an arched entryway. Aya's eyes found the small knot of whispering people unerringly as soon as she entered the protected room.  
  
Coralie's serious eyes turned and greeted her friend with a blink. "Kirin has confirmed it; none of the trusted Priestesses had anything to do with their reconstruction."  
  
"Who was in charge?"  
  
"Priestess Tariki, a newer Priestess, good at her job, but that's normally mapping out coordinates for the Celestial Mirror." Kirin waved her towards a free chair. "She's got a great mind for finding the best way through the pathways, but I wouldn't exactly call her a stupendous crafter of seals."  
  
"What else?"  
  
Coralie sighed. "Guardian Nadine was the one who ordered Tariki to head the working of the seals."  
  
"Nadine?" Aya nearly jumped out of her chair as soon as she had sat down. "Does Nadine have that authority?"  
  
Kirin nodded. "She was given a high position here in the Central Web nearly two years ago when we lost Yukino. None of the other Guardians questioned the decision; they were actually the ones who made it."  
  
"Then they're all in this."  
  
"That can't be, Aya." Dionne, a slim blond apprentice under Kirin leaned forward. "How can all the Guardians be in on a plot to destroy the Originals? They're the ones that the Guardians are supposed to be guarding!"  
  
"Well they obviously haven't been doing a very good job of it." Aya sighed and shook her head. "We'll need someone to go over their soul seals. I can't have any of them falling apart at a crucial moment. I need their souls to stay in their bodies for right now." She paused in thought. "Coralie, I think we should wake up any latent powers within them."  
  
"Ehhhh??"  
  
"This... this isn't really about them anymore. They're a liability that must be protected. You and I both know we don't have nearly enough Warriors and Priestesses to protect them adequately, not with what we're looking at having to fight."  
  
"What are we looking at having to fight," Kirin asked quietly.  
  
Coralie's eyes remained rooted to the floor so that she didn't see the all eyes turn to her at her whispered response. "Battousai."  
  
"Battousai," Dionne repeated. "We have to defeat a demon of his power? How can we do that? Even you, Aya... even you would be hard pressed to keep away from his sword."  
  
The Warrior shrugged. "I have my ways, and we won't be fighting him immediately. He's just the big one to defeat before we can take further steps to destroy the vipers' nest we've found within our midst."  
  
Coralie looked up into Aya's dark eyes. "Do you think they know about us yet? At least one of the Guardians should know about us."  
  
"Nahh." Aya grinned and fell back into her lazy speech patterns. "None of them high-faultin horse turds're gonna be lookin fer a couple of legends like us. We're the scary stories they were put to sleep with when they were kids. Their eyes are gonna pass over us as if they'd known us all they're puny lives."  
  
Kirin chuckled. "Sounding like that, they're going to think you're a low class Warrior from a level two world. It always makes me laugh to hear you like that especially when I know how much power you really have."  
  
Aya grinned at him and leaned back with her hands clasped behind her head. "You don't know the half of it, my friend."  
  
Kirin stood up and motioned to Dionne. "We should be going. We two weavers need to be up early to assist Leila. Call us if you need anything." The Priestess and the Warrior stood and nodded as the two weavers left.  
  
Coralie turned to Aya. "I'll speak to Nadine about their situation. I'll explain how we need to allow them to acclimate to their new surroundings before we go dragging them off to other worlds."  
  
Aya pursed her lips in thought and sat down again. "We'll need more Warriors, and I don't mean the ones that stay here at Central. I'm thinking to call some of the warriors who've been given positions on various worlds. It's going to be hard traveling with someone we know is working against us, but we'll manage."  
  
"There are so many worlds that we need to pass through, we'll be able to lose her somewhere I'm sure."  
  
"I don't want to lose her; I want to keep her right next to me so I know what she's telling her master."  
  
"Her master?" Coralie's eyes widened. "Who do you think is behind all of this?"  
  
"Well, we know somebody's using Battousai as a puppet, destroying certain worlds and people that hold some very important items. We now know that all of the Guardians are in on it, they've probably been the ones manipulating Battousai. I wouldn't be surprised if Nadine was pulling the strings herself. She is certainly powerful for a Guardian. But she doesn't seem to have the brain capacity to plan very far ahead or to recognize something odd when she sees it."  
  
"How do you mean?"  
  
"Well, she didn't take a second glance at my power signature and she completely overlooked you. What does she take us for?"  
  
Coralie coughed. "She probably thinks that I'm a young Priestess fresh from my world with an odd ability for handling souls and that you're an older Warrior with a seal on you that inhibits your power using ability."  
  
"Why would she think that?"  
  
"Because that's what I listed us as in the roll book. We've been under those descriptions for about fifty years now, but the dates keep changing."  
  
Aya's eyebrows raised in shock. "You're manipulating the roll book? You can do that?"  
  
"Well it's either that or have her KNOW that we're actually both Legendary status and that you've destroyed more demons than she's ever read about and that I'm the Priestess that holds the seal on Eelotarqn. She would know that we're two out of five survivors from the fight to seal him when he destroyed the other forty-five Warriors who set out to put him down."  
  
"In other words she would know that we're out for her boss's blood."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Aya grinned and patted her friend on the head. "Let's get some sleep, little lady. We've got a big day tomorrow. The plan is to start off small, correct?"  
  
"Mmhmm. We're taking Megumi on a short trip to her first pivot's world. I've already had Tariki map out the world and spot the portal."  
  
"Portal?"  
  
Coralie glared up at Aya. "Yes, a portal. We will be traveling by portal for the shot, easy jumps and only using the Celestial Mirror IF we need to. That stupid thing requires too much power for us to use it consistently." She sighed and began walking down the twisting hallway that led from the hidden room.  
  
Aya stretched and clasped her hands behind her neck as she followed. "Well, the Mirror can get us anywhere while the portals are subject to special limitations, you know?"  
  
"Yes, but the Mirror requires the sacrifice of a soul in able to activate, and the soul required for sacrifice normally depends on the people who will be traveling through the stupid thing. Since we're going to be traveling around with ten, count that TEN originals, I thought it might be nice of us not to keep sacrificing one of their mirrors just so we can jump to a different world wherever and whenever we want. The pros do not outweigh the cons, at least in my opinion."  
  
"Well, when you put it that way. So, what're the details I'm going to need to know for tomorrow's' trip?"  
  
Coralie shrugged as she paused at the mouth of the hallway. After a careful check to make sure no one was observing she stepped out into the wide pathway and turned left. "There's not much to be concerned about. It's a peaceful world. Megumi's mirror owns a small herbal company that grows, and packages herbs for consumption. The garden itself, where the mirror is normally found, is a short thirty minute walk from the portal. There will just be the four of us, Megumi, Nadine, you, and I. We should be fine. At least check that the world has neither offensive demons inhabiting it, nor does the world have enough power to breed any upon our e  
  
"Yeah, that's annoying, damn breeding worlds. You remember when that one spat out a fire breathing plant as soon as we stepped down. That was annoying. And that ice maiden that went crazy when we accidentally blew that mountain range? She was pretty pissed, huh?" Aya laughed. "I'm truly not looking forward to this."  
  
"Neither am I, sword lady, neither am I." Coralie stopped causing Aya to bump into her. "Did you mean it when you said bring out their powers?"  
  
Aya nodded seriously. "I did. We've already lost all of the Guardians and possibly some of the Warriors. We both know that we're not going to be able to protect them properly. They're going to need to be able to protect themselves at times. I can't watch over them all the time. What're they going to do if I go gallivanting off after some sneaky demon and the sneaky partner of that demon decides to attack them?"  
  
"You mean, what's going to happen to them if you don't do your job?"  
  
"Hey," Aya protested. "You're the one in charge of shielding, I'm in charge of killing."  
  
"Do you want me to wake up the powers? Say yes and I'll walk into that room and fix Megumi's soul. She has one of the smallest powers, but I might as well do it now since we're going to start with her."  
  
"Do it."  
  
Coralie nodded and sighed. "Are they all asleep?" At Aya's nod she slid open the door. The two women slipped into the room. Coralie immediately knelt beside Megumi's prone form and held out her hands. With a quick thought she brought out Megumi's seal. Even as she studied the intricate patterns held within the circle her delicate fingers were running over the untidy strands, smoothing them into a semblance of order then reweaving them to open certain abilities to Megumi's mind.  
  
She found a possibility of earth connection and formed a loose knot allowing a controlled amount of that ability through. When she found the pattern controlling the plant empathy she cut the entire pattern open and formed a tight edge around the that deep well of power. A small amount of human empathy was brought out and along with a good sized well of illusion. Coralie finished with a general smoothing down of all the strands causing the off-kilter circle that represented Megumi's soul to straighten and fill out while beginning to give off a healthy red glow.  
  
She leaned back and sighed feeling the power drain from her. Handling a soul within the confines of the central web was not impossible, but definitely not enjoyable. She made a mental note to arrange to rearrange the other souls while on a world where not only did her soul manipulation not have the possibility of being monitored, but the world wasn't going to be working against her while she was doing it.  
  
As Coralie sat and breathed deeply she felt a spark of awareness. With a quick turn of her head she could easily see Misao's wide open eyes. Aya, Misao.  
  
Got it.  
  
Coralie nodded as she heard Aya's soft command. We need to get some sleep.  
  
I'll follow you out. Good job on Megumi.  
  
It wasn't easy. There's a possibility they might have been alerted to what I did.  
  
No chance. The two friends were now walking towards their own assigned rooms looking as tired as they felt. Coralie opened her mouth to speak but found herself too worn out for speech.  
  
Explain that.  
  
I made a deal with Keiko earlier, after she met our Kenshin. She's with us all the way and will be personally shielding them, actually she has been personally shielding them. Anything we do to them or their souls will be hidden from any who might be watching.  
  
You could have mentioned that to me. It would have eased my fears a bit.  
  
Coralie, I just did.  
  
Coralie scowled as she stopped at the door to her bedroom. Idiot.  
  
Grandma.  
  
Go to sleep, Aya. I'll wake you in time to help with outfitting Megumi.  
  
You do that.  
To be Continued... Next chapter: Megumi's Secret Garden Please look forward to it  
Author's note  
  
Gosh, but it's been a long time since my last update. Wow, I never knew doing so much work for so long could be such a muse. This chapter flew form my fingertips along with the beginning and hopefully the end of the next chapter. Look for an author's note chapter soon to help with the explanations and confusion regarding how this world of mine works.  
  
Love you all! 


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